Baghdad, 20 July 2023 (dpa/MIA) - Demonstrators have stormed Sweden's embassy in Iraq and set fire to it, following the announcement of another planned Koran burning in the Swedish capital, Stockholm.

According to eyewitnesses, hundreds marched to the embassy, many of them climbing over barriers and shouting slogans like "Yes, yes to the Koran."

Photos and videos posted on social media showed crowds of protesters at the building in Baghdad late on Wednesday night, along with fire and clouds of smoke. Some protestors are reported to have made their way inside the building, while others celebrated in the street and waved Iraqi flags.

Among the protesters were supporters of the influential Shiite cleric Muktada al-Sadr.

The Swedish Foreign Ministry said it was in constant contact with staff on the ground.

"We are informed about the situation. Our Embassy staff are in safety and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs is in regular contact with them," it said.

It added that the Iraqi authorities have the responsibility to protect diplomatic missions and diplomatic staff.

Videos of the demonstration showed security forces doing little to quell the night's tumult.

Swedish police had previously approved an application for a public gathering to take place in front of the Iraqi embassy in Stockholm on Thursday. According to the Swedish news agency TT, one person wanted to burn a Koran and an Iraqi flag.

According to the report, only two people were to take part in the demonstration - just as in a Koran burning at the end of June, which sparked protests among Muslims both abroad and within Sweden, including in Baghdad.

Demonstrators said, according to eyewitnesses in Baghdad, that Wednesday night's protest was a reaction to the new planned Koran burning in Sweden.

Photo: CNN screenshot